Hospital-plug connection



Feb. 24, 1931. V, DURBlN 1,793,846

HOSPITAL PLUG CONNECTION Filed Jan.' 4, 1928 a n, i In Patented' Feb. '24, 1931 UNITED A:s 'ltmns' PATE-NT OFFICE] A 'VERNON' DUBBIN, QF NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T THE HOLTZER-CAIBT ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF ROXBURY, MASS\ACHU'SE'1"J.S,n -A CORPORATION 0F MASSA- CHUSETTS l HOSPITAL-PLUG vcoNNncTroN Appnmian med iannary 41a2s.' serial 110.244,535. 'y

The present invention relates to an improvement in hospital plug connections.

In Ahospitals the'patients-are usually provided with some sort o device for calling a 5 nurse. Ordinarily nowadays these nurse calling devices comprise a push button on the end of a cord which is provided with a plug thatI is received in a wall socket or receptacle so that the patient, by pressing the push button, may cause the nurse to be called. Ordinarily the pushing of the button lights a lamp over the patients doorand lights a lamp at the nurses. desk, activates a buzzer, and causes a si al to be exhibited on an annuncia'tor. running to the push button for causing these signals to be given would be five in number, and all of the various devices would be connected by the pressing of the button. In some instances provision has been made for causing .a signal to be given when the plug is disconnected from the wall socket so that if'it were accidentally pulled out bythe patient, the nurse would immediately be notified. Sometimes, however, 25, when a room is to be'cleaned or painted it vis desired to remove the push button plug. ln

such case it has been the practice in some-instances to provide a dummy plug for insertion in the wall socket to prevent the continuance gf the signals durin the disuseof the patients push button T e use of adummyJ plug is objectionable because, being unatptached, itis liable to be lost, especially as A their use is infrequently required. v 35, According to the present invention the wall socket or receptacle is provided with a switch which, when'the plug is removed, maybe turned so as to prevent the continuous eX- hibition of a call from the room or from the s4 patients bed. To this end the invention consists in the hospital plug connection hereinafter described and the claims. v v In the accompanying drawings illustrating particularly'lv defined in the preferred form of the invention, Fig. 1 is,

on the lineS-S, Fig. 6; Fig. 4 is an axial section taken on the line 4 4, Fig. 7 Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the receptacle base with the y front plate of the cover platek removed, the contact plugs being shown in section; Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the receptacle base with a portion of the front plate of the cover plate broken away, and with the plug contacts removed, showing the contact springs in engagement with the short-circuiting switch;

Fig. 7 is a front elevation ofthe receptacle base with the cover plate and front 'plate in position, a portion of the latter beingbroken away'to show the position of the switch and switch body when in position to open-circuit the signal circuits; Fig. 8 is a rear elevation of the receptacle base showing the terminal lugs; and Fig. 9 is across-section taken on the line 9 9, Fig. 2.

- The illustrated embodiment of the invention is described as follows: The receptacle base 10 is provided with two ears 11, 11, to, receive the screws 12 by which it is-secured in place. It is provided with ve holes 13,A

`through 'which project the ContactJ springs 75 `14 secured to the receptacle body 15 by means of the screws 16, which also secure to the body ,the terminal lugs 17 to which the system wires are attached'fby the screws 18. The l contact springs 14 are five in number, one forl so the supply current, and io'ur for the 'different *signal circuits' fed from the su plyl through the push button at lthe end fp the cord. K s

The receptacle base is provided .with .la cover plate 20. of the sameV outline asthe receptacle base, and permanently secured in place over the receptacle base by the screws /12 which secure the latter in position on the wall. The front plate21 of thetcovcr plate is made separate :from the cover plate and secured to it by the screws22; If desired, the cover plate and front plate 21 may be made integral. a'

- 'The front plate. is provided with five holes 95 through which the five plug contacts may be inserted. This front plate, therefore, guides the .plug contacts into position to engage the .ive contact springs 14.

general way by `the reference characterA 30,

comprises a plu base 31 and a plug cap 32. The cap is provi ed with a bushing 33, screwthreaded to receive a screw 34 by which the plug base and plug cap are secured together. The plug base is provided withfive' plugs 35 which are rigidly'and permanently supported in the base. Five binding-screws 36, one for each plug, are provided by'which the five wires from the push button cord which enters through the hole 37 in the top of the cap 32 are secured to the live plugs 35. It is apparent, therefore, that the cord plug may be removed from the receptacle base and re-in- -serted at pleasure. The plugs 35 are each provided with enlarged heads which, when pressed beyond the bends at the ends of the contact springs, are thereby held from free removal. J

lWhen the cord plug base ,is removed from the 'receptacle base, the live contact springs 14 are permitted vto spring inwardly, and they then engage five contact projectionsL on the switch contact disk 40, the projections 41 being normally located each opposite one of the Contact springs. This switch contact disk is secured to a switch body 42 by means of the pin 43, having a reduced screw-threaded end 44'which passes through the center of the switch contact disk and screws into the bushin switchilnody 42.

The` switch body 42 is provided with a projecting pin which extends from the surface of the switch body through a'hole46 in the switch contact disk 40. When the switch disk is applied to the switch body, the pin 47, projecting from the Aswitch body 42, penetrates the hole 46 in the switch contact diskl and unites the switch body and the switch disk so that they are required'to turn together. f

The switch body is provided with a hanl dle 48, which projects outwardly through the front or face plate 21 of the cover plate 20, and is exposed when the cord plug base .is removed so that the person may take'hold of this handle and turn the switch disk.

The switch body42` is provided with ,a series of iive practically semi-circular recesses 49 which receive the plug contacts when the switch disk is in the position shown in Figs. 5 `and 6. When, however, the switch is turned from the position shown-in these figures to the position shown in Fig. 7, the high or inter-recess portion 50 of the switch body 'is presented opposite the plug holes in the face .plate 21, so that the plugs cannot be inserted with the switch in this position; that is to say, the plug cannot be inserted when the switch is turned to open-circuit the indieating devices connected to the receptacle base.

In ordertolimit the movements of the switch it is provided with an extended lug 45, permanently mounted inthe .base and project outwardly therefrom into a recess 54in the cover plate 20, `and in posit-'ion to arrest the movement of the switch either in the position shown in Fig. 5 when the switch is operative, or to engage the pin v53 when the switch is inoperative.

Let us assume that the apparatus is in c011- dition for use. lhen' the push button is pressed, it causes/current to be supplied t0 any desired number, up to four in the illustrated embodiment, of indicating circuits. Ordinarily this push button is provided with a locking device so that the circuits remain closed and the indicating devices operative until the nurse goes to the patients bedside, where she trips the push button and restores it to non-indicating position.

Now, 'assume that the patient, by some energetic movement, pulls upon the cord so violently Vas to pull the plug base out of the base receptacle. Thereupon the five Contact springs are pressed inwardly and engage the indicating circuits, whereupon the nurse attends the patient,.and nding the plug removed, reinserts the plug and restores it to-` operative condition.

Now, assume further the condition which occurs when it is desired to paint the room. The push button cord and plug are removed. Thereupon the indicating circuits are enervgized, but then the switch handle is exposed, and the person removing the plug turns the switch to the left, thereby moving the contact projections 41 of the switch Contact disk 40 out from under the several contact springs 14 and causing the switch to assume the position shown 1n Fig. 7. This movement at thesame time presents the inter-recess prolos jections 50 of the switch body opposite the holes in the face plate 21, so that the cord plug base`cann0t again be inserted until the switch is again turned back to normal position,\so that when the receptacle is again put into use,\thefirstthing that is required to be done is to turn the switch from the position shown in Fig. 7 to the position shown in Fig. 6, whereupon the plugs of the cord plug base may be inserted 1n thereceptacle, and the cord restored to operative condition.

It is to be observed that in use'this connection operates to cause an alarm lto be given wheneverthe cord-vplug'is pulled from the receptacle, and that. the switch by which the signals may -be stopped is thereby exposed` so that the switch may be turned only after lthe cord plug base'is removed. This construction is preferred to one in which the switch may be operated from the outside, be-

. cause of its double function of being permoana 3 tion ofthe cord until it is restored to operative condition. f

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

5 1. A hospital plug connection comprising a receptacle and a ycord plug, the receptacle being provided with a plurality of contacts, and the plug being provided with a plurality of plug contacts, and a two-position switch w having provision in one position to shortcircuit the rece tacle contacts when the plug is removed, an in the other position to opencircuit the receptacle contacts and to prevent the re-insertion of the plug.

2. A hospital plu` connection comprising a receptacle rovide with a plurality of contacts, a cor plug provided with a corresponding plurality of plug contacts, and a hand-operable switch normally covered by the cord plug and inaccessible when the plug contacts are inserted in the receptacle.

3. A hospital plug connection comprising a receptacle having a lurality of spring -contacts, a cord plug aving a plurality of plug contacts, a `-switch provided with contact portions adapted to be engaged by the spring contacts when the plug con-A tacts are removed, and with a plurality vof inter-contact portions for open-circuiting the 0 spring contacts in the open-circuit position of the switch.

4. A hospital plug connection comprising a receptacle provided with spring contacts, a switch body provided with contact portions located opposite the spring contacts and adapted to be engaged thereby in one osition of the switch, and to be dis-engage therefrom in the second osition of the switch, the switch being provi ed with portions to regis- 40 ter with the spring contacts when the contact portions of the switch are removed from engagement with the spring contacts, and a cord plug provided with plug contacts adapted to be inserted in the receptacle when the 5 switch is in closed-circuit position, and to be prevented from bein inserted in the receptacle when the switc is in open-circuit position.

5. A hospital plug connection comprising a receptacle and a cord plug each havin a plurality of contacts, a short-circuiting isk to be engaged by the receptacle contacts when the plug is removed, a switch which is normally covered by the plu and is exposed when the plug is remove and adapted to move the short-circuiting disk to open position, and means associated with the switch for preventing insertion of the plug into the receptacle when the switch is open.

63 In testimony whereof Ihave signed my name to this specification.

VERNON DURBIN. 

